Electric drive for juvenile automobiles



Nov. 3, 1931, v. G. APPLE 1,830,310

ELECTRIC DRIVE FOR JUVENILE AUTOMOBILES Filed June 14, 1928 INVENTOR x BY MfM Pat ted N v. 3, 1931 1 vincnlvr e. APPLE, orrnnyron, OHIO iscmic DRIVE r03 JUV NILE AUTOMOBILES" Q p I hpplication filed June 14,

My invention relates to improvements in electric drives for uvenlle automoblles wherein abatteryis'employe'd to operate an electric motor, a suitable control device bemg interposed therebetween, the motor being connected thrureduction gearing to one ofithe wheels.

wherein I Fig. 1 is a plan view of the axle with motor One of the objects of my invention is to i provide a simple structure of fewparts which may be produced at'the low cost'necessary "toits application. 7

Another objectis to provide a structure which is safe for juvenile use by an arrangement wherein'the. moving parts are neither low' speed forwardeand reverse."

I attain these-objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

built in.' 1 V Fig. 2 is a longitudinalhorizontal cross section thru the motor and driven wheel.

' Fig. 3 is a side 'view of the control mechanism. v

Fig.4 1s a pla-n'view of the control mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the circuit. Fig. 6 1s a Similar numerals refer to similar parts L thruout the several views.

t The axle proper is composed of three main I ":40" alignment." A pin 13 permanently joins shaft "lO fand housing 11. Hub 14'of housing 11.

' ment' aswell as .hOUSHlglL partsy namely, the-axle shaft 10, the motor housing ll'and the idler gear carrier- 12 thesefparts being all secured together in axial to connect the axle to the body of the car. The means here shown consists of two single leaf 'ring gear 27, twoidler 1928. Serial No. 285,374.

to a bracket 17 directly on the axle, the other being bolted to a bracket 18 themotor housing 11. f c The axle then is stationarycthruout its entire length, the wheels 19' and 20 being adapted to rotate freely thereon. Wheel 19 is provided with a brake drum 21, a brake band 22, actuated thru shaft23, levers 24 and 25 and byrod 26 supplies the braking means. The other wheel 2O contains and encloses-the entire speed reducing mechanism comprising a gears 28 and a pinion extending from 29 on the motorshaft.

Ring gear 27 is concentricallysupported by bolts 30 in wheel 20 and is revolvable therewith. I Idler gears 28 on studs31held in carrier l2 connect'pinion 29 to ring gear 27, thus providing'the desired speed rotation between the'motorand wheel 20, and stationary'jour- 5 nals on-carrier '12 provide bearings around which wheel hubs 82 and'33 revolve.

Asimpleand inexpensive control means is provided as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the connections' thereto being shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5', whereby a high and low speed may be had either forward orreve'rse.

I The base plate 34 is of sheet metal and is grounded so as to make connection thru to the motor housing; Two pedal strips 35 of I conductive material are riveted to base plate perspective view of thedler gear carrier.

34 but insulated therefrom byfibre pieces 36.

stock and tensioned to spring upward so that in their inoperative position their free ends bear against the metal shelves 37.which are riveteddirectly to base plate 3 4,and.therefore grounded; Contact strips38 and 39 are riveted to base plate 34 but insulated therefromby fibre strips 40. Pedal strips 35 are so'curved that when pressed downward the will make contact first with strip 38 but whenpressed harder will flatten out somewhat and contact also with strip 39. A'resistance coil 41 connects strip 38 to strip 39. Binding posts 42 are provided, one foreach and oneffor contact strip 39.. Contact strip 39 is connected thru a' binding post and cable to one of the terminals of battery 43, while pedal 'strips'35'arc connected pedal" strip 35 ,thru binding posts and cables, one pedal strip to the battery. If, inadverently, both pedals are pressed down at the same time, both ends of the field windingare connected to the battery but there is no ground connection to complete the circuit. To operate the motor, one pedal must be down an'dthe'other up, and

whichever pedal is down determines the clirection of the currentthru the field winding and consequently the. direction or running. Light pressure of a pedal contacts with strip 38 and the circuit is thru resistance 41 giving low speed. "Heavier pressure contacts also with strip39 are therefore cuts resistance 41,

from the circuit giving the higher speed.

I VVhileI have shown a grounded circuit, it is apparent that, if desired, shelves 37 may be insulated from base plate 34;, and that brushes maybe also insulated, and if then shelves 37- were connected by wire to brushes 45 the ground would be eliminated from the circuit. his also apparent that motor elements could be exchanged in this circuit, the

H armature being plac-ed'where the field is shown and vice versa. If desired, with little change, the control may be so arranged as to lowing, wherein I claim' provide two speeds forward but only one reverse by covering or cutting away one of the contact strips 38 or 3 9 at the point where the reverse pedal makes connection therewith.-

arranging onepedal to prevent contact wlth strip 3 9, but allowing contact with strip 38, backing at high speed may be prevented.

' Switches or pedals of other forms than thoseshown may be employed and other changes made, so long as they do not fall outside the scopevof the invention as defined in the fol 1. Electric'driving apparatus for a juvetor, an axle shaft non-rotatably secured in the hub of said motor at one end, a wheel free to revolve at the outer end ofsaid shaft, a gear carrier non-rotatablysecured in the hub hand. I

of one of said motor hubs, a wheel rotatably supported onthe outer-end of said axle shaft,

a gear carier comprising two axially, spaced apart carrierhubs and radial arms, an 1dler gear rotatably supported at the outer ends of said radial arms and between said carrier hubs, means to non-rotatably secure one of said carrier hubs in theother said motor hub, an armature shaft rotatably supported in said motor hubs and having one end extending through one one of said carrier hubs into the space between the carrier hubs, a pinion on the extended end of said armature shaft engaging said idler gear, and ahollow wheel comprising two spaced apart discs, each having a bear ng on one of said carrier hubs, and an internal rlng gear securedto said wheel between said discs and said idler gear.

In testimony whereof l hereunto set my VINCENT GI APPLE.

in engagement with "nu automobile comprlsing, an electric moof said motorgat the other end, said gearcarrier comprising two axially spaced apart.

wheel journals with space for gearing there- 7 between, gearing in said space adapted to be v @driven by said'motor, and a wheel in two 7 parts each part having a bearing on one of saidjjournals, and the two parts being adaptedifto enclose said gearing. and be rotated thereby. p 2;"Electric driving apparatus for a juvenile automobile comprising, an electric motor,

i a motor hub at each end of said motor, an axle j shaftnon -rotatablysecured in the outer end a e luv 

